This morning I heard that Dinosaur Jr. was going to be releasing an official download of a new song from their upcoming album on their website. The track is called "I Want You Yo Know." The LP is called Farm and is being released June 23rd via Jagjaguwar Records.
I've been wanting to start a new installment on DigiDreams for a while but all my ideas are either lame or have been taken. Let's give this a try. I present to you - Short Stack - a small list of new mp3's creeping their way through the blogosphere that need to be listened to and will ultimately make you go out and buy the LP/EP. Here we go...
The opening to Japandroids new song "Young Hearts Spark Fire" reminds me of good old solid 90's alt rock. Fuzzy, fast, loud and infectious. Their upcoming LP Post-Nothing has received early praise from Pitchfork who gave them a Best New Music shout out. Catch them on the festival circuit @ P4K Fest and Sasquatch. [myspace] Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire
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Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead" somehow boosted them to be the biggest blog sensation since MPP and sliced bread. And I can see why. Tight beats and falsetto's seem to be a weak spot. Manners will be the LP to prove to us that they aren't just a hype band. Maybe? Manners is due out May 26th via Frenchkiss. [higher and higher and higher!!] Passion Pit - Little Secrets
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Stephen McBean likes mountains no matter what the color. In this case, Pink Mountaintops are ready to release their 3rd LP and are streaming the entire album on their Myspace. Outside Love is due out May 5th on Jagjaguwar Recs. Pink Mountaintops - Vampire
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Heard about this new track a while ago and just never listened to it for some reason. Music ADD can cause one to look over some great tracks. Their newest LP Dragonslayer is due out June 23rd on Jagjaguwar Recs. Sunset Rubdown - Idiot Heart
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You may remember that song "Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam." You may remember Kurt Cobain telling us that the Vaselines were responsible for that beautiful song. Well now you can finally hear that and a whole collection of Vaselines songs on a 2-disc deluxe reissue of The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History. Due out May 5th on Sub Pop. The Vaselines - Son Of A Gun
Back in 2006 Chris Funk from The Decemberists challenged Stephen Colbert to a ShredDown. Colbert coincidentally got inured right before his chance to show Funk what he got so Peter Frampton took his place.
Well, The Decemberists are back to play live @ The Colbert Report. Watch it tonight on Comedy Central @ 11:30 PM EST
My Sundays nights are usually always the same. Come home from work, make some Sencha, create a playlist and hit the books [aka study]. It never occurred to me that maybe I should post my playlist. Well, here it is.
Every once in a while someone will recommend a band that I've never heard before. It either turns out that I wish I had never heard them or it's something really special that I missed. In this case [happily] it's the latter.
Faded Paper Figures are an indie/electronic band from Irvine , California who debuted their first LP [Dynamo] back in July of 2008.
Their myspace claims that "New songs coming (relatively) soon! Stay tuned...." so I'll definitely have to be on the lookout. For now, I'll continue to dig the shit out of Dynamo.
While working at "tea shop" [I'm leaving it un-named for various reasons], I often get the chance to plug in my iPod and chill with some tunes to help pass the time. "Tea Shop" was really slow with business today so I put on the new Camera Obscura album that I recently received while I sipped on some Darjeeling. I only heard a little of it earlier today while getting ready to leave the house.
The opening track "French Navy" kicks off their latest album damn well with blasting drums and Tracyanne Campbell telling us about her week spent at a dusty library. The song really caught me when the trumpets and violins kicked in around the 1:00 mark. I was involuntarily tapping my toes and bobbing my head while talking to customers and making drinks. I don't think they minded very much.
The rest of the album made me wish I wasn't at work on such a nice 70 degree weather day. The cranking violins, hammering xylophones, crumbling tambourines and overall infectious pop tunes are really meant to be heard outside, although they did make my work experience at least a little brighter.
Are you Philly bound this weekend and need something to do?? Well there's plenty going on. FRIDAY: Simian Mobile Disco - see poster above Tim Barry [from Avail] @ Johnny Brenda's [linkage] Demetri Martin @ The Tower Theater Sixers Game 3 @ 7PM
SATURDAY: Mogwai @ The Troc [linkage] Celebration @ Kungfu Necktie Flyers Game 5 @ 3PM Fishtown Shadfest ALL DAY FEST with so many things going on
SUNDAY: Bowerbirds + Bell @ First Unitarian Church Chapel [Get Yo Tickets Fast. 2nd show might sell out]
FRIDAY - SUNDAY: Catch the last few showings of Jeremiah Zagar's film In A Dream @ The Ritz At The Bourse [Get Tix Now]
After a long day of running around like a nut, I just want to chill at home, drink some tea [or eat a delicious chocolate chip pancake like the one I just devoured] and kick back with some fresh tunes that bring me to another place.
Christopher Tignor is one of those new fresh sounds. In a whole 'nother realm than most of the music I post on here, Tignor is more of a composer than anything else.
Also the leader of the band Slow Six [from Brooklyn], Tignor has gone solo for his new EP coming out 5/5/09 on Western Vinyl entitled Core Memory Unwound. His music is quiet and is waiting for us to break down and show ourselves. If you're impatient or just went out for a jog, turn away. The 6+ minute tracks of crooning violin and delicate piano are simply not for you. If you can release yourselves to sound, please put on some headphones and be prepared to be swept away.
[Sidenote]: I also recommend the solo work of Peter Broderick who is a hell of a busy guy who's been "palling around" with bands like Efterklang, Balmorhea and Horse Feathers. Broderick is set to release a new album on WV as well called Music for Falling From Trees.
And now so you can actually read it: Depeche Mode • Tool • The Killers • Jane's Addiction • Beastie Boys • Kings of Leon • Lou Reed • Ben Harper and Relentless7 • Thievery Corporation • Snoop Dogg • Rise Against • Andrew Bird • TV on the Radio • Vampire Weekend • The Decemberists • Neko Case • STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) • Animal Collective • Band of Horses • Of Montreal • Arctic Monkeys • Coheed and Cambria • Ben Folds • Fleet Foxes • Silversun Pickups • Kaiser Chiefs • Crystal Castles • Bon Iver • Santigold • Atmosphere • Dan Auerbach • Cold War Kids • Deerhunter • Lykke Li • Robert Earl Keen • Peter Bjorn and John • Heartless Bastards • Gomez • Glasvegas • Federico Aubele • Dan Deacon • Passion Pit • Zap Mama • The Raveonettes • The Gaslight Anthem • The Airborne Toxic Event • White Lies • Ra Ra Riot • No Age • Asher Roth • Los Campesinos! • Bat For Lashes • Chairlift • Gang Gang Dance • The Virgins • Amazing Baby • Portugal. The Man • The Knux • Ida Maria • Delta Spirit • Friendly Fires • Manchester Orchestra • Constantines • Ezra Furman & The Harpoons • Hockey • Miike Snow • Alberta Cross • Hey Champ • Sam Roberts Band • The Henry Clay People • Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam • Cage the Elephant • Living Things • The Low Anthem • Blind Pilot • Langhorne Slim • Other Lives • The Builders and The Butchers • Eric Church • Joe Pug • Kevin Devine • The Greencards • Carney
Man. I can only afford one fest this year. I'm torn between this, Bonnaroo and Pitchfork. In reality, I might just take the cheap route this time and go to P4K. Thoughts anyone??? Have you gone before? Holla At Ya Boy down below.
Matt & Kim have released their second video from their latest album, Grand entitled "Lessons Learned." It's certainly liberating, to say the least, with an ending that caught me a little off guard.
Don't have Grand yet? That's a shame. You can totally purchase it @ insound dot com
Wavves aka Nathan Williams seems like quite the busy bee this year so far. From soaking in all the blog hype due to his latest album in 2008 to playing SXSW and now on the bill for this years Pitchfork Music Festival, he has a lot to live up to on future releases. Here's a little taste of what we can expect thanks to a new 7-inch split record with Windsurf.
Papercuts [from San Francisco] just released their latest album this past Tuesday entitled "You Can Have What You Want" on Gnomonsong Records. Future Primative is the first single.
It's been such a beautiful weekend that I simply could not just stay in. So I apologize for the lack of updates lately. Us bloggers do have lives, you know.
I got an email recently giving me a heads up on a new Magic Wands track called Black Magic from their upcoming EP entitled Magic Love & Dreams[via Bright Antenna Records]. I've never heard of them before but I think they really like magic. Just throwing that out there.
They're going on tour: April 20 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress 22 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater 23 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck 24 Austin, TX - Emo's 25 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater 27 Atlanta, GA - Lenny's 28 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle 30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club May 1 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts 2 New York, NY - Webster Hall 4 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg 5 Boston, MA - Paradise 6 Montreal, QUE - La Tulipe 7 Toronto, ONT - Phoenix Concert Theatre 8 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick 9 Chicago, IL - Metro 11 Minneapolis, MN - First Ave 15 Seattle, WA - Neumo's 16 Vancouver, BC - Commodore 17 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom 19 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore 21 Pomona, CA - Glasshouse 22 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda
I know Together In Digital Dreams is mainly just a music blog, but to be a good writer one should also be a good reader. I consider myself to be a pretty decent writer, no? Aside from the pretty hectic school/work schedule, living life and constantly looking for new music, I do enjoy a good book every so often.
About a week ago I was peeping around my local Borders and saw, out of the corner of my eye, a book that would soon engulf me. The cover is bright and loud on top with a painted, faint scene of San Fran down near the bottom. I had never heard of this book nor its author, Rodes Fishburne. Like any other slightly interested book lover, I had to read the book flap to see what it was all about.
I just finished the book earlier tonight and could not be more happy with my impulsive purchase. Its premise is mystifying. Its protagonist is young and full of life and ambition. Its antagonist is a mayor with a terrible heart. There are so many turns and emotions that fly through the foggy San Francisco air.
Just take my word for it and read it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
I was pretty young when I first heard of The Breeders. I just remember that killer bass line and that cannonball. But forget all the childhood nostalgia, The Breeders are back. Baby?
In the past I have made it clear my appreciation for all things Phoenix. Here is the video for Lisztomania off of their upcoming album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. New album drops May 26th in the US via Glassnote and their own new label, Loyaute.
They are going on tour: 04-21 Reims, France - La Cartonnerie 04-23 London, England - Hoxton Bar & Grill 05-20 Berlin, Germany - Berghain (Spex Festival) 05-23 Cologne, Germany - Electronics Beats Festival 05-25 Paris, France - La Cigale 05-28 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival 05-30 Hasseleholm, Sweden - Siesta 06-01 London, England - Koko 06-04 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Trouw Club 06-05 Brussels, Belgium - L’Orangerie 06-06 Nürburgring, Germany - Rock am Ring Festival 06-07 Nürnberg, Germany - Rock im Park Festival 06-12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo 06-13 Chicago, IL - Park West 06-15 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theater 06-16 Montreal, Quebec - Les Saints 06-17 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club 06-19 New York, NY - Terminal 5 06-21 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel 06-23 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity 06-25 Denver, CO - Bluebird 06-27 San Francisco, CA - Regency Center, Grand Ballroom 06-28 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern 07-03 Arras, France - Main Square Festival 07-24 Cambridgeshire, England - Secret Garden Festival 07-25 Dorset, England - Camp Bestival 08-07 Tokyo, Japan - Summer Sonic 08-08 Osaka, Japan - Summer Sonic 08-22 Chelmsford, England - V Festival 08-23 Staffordshire, England- V Festival 10-28 London, England - O2 Academy
Today, Tuesday April 14th [yesterday - if you want to be a technical douchebag about it] The Pomegranates released their sophomore album entitled EVERYBODY, COME OUTSIDE! on Lujo Records. With album art that looks like an epileptic easter egg, one can only imagine it to be full of energetic tunes. The title track begins with Arcade Fire/Talking Heads-like vocals yelling at EVERYBODY to COME OUTSIDE. I totally would, but it's rainy right now. And I'm in my PJ's.
EVERYBODY, COME OUTSIDE certainly shows that The Pomegranates have progressed their sound since their debut LP Everything Is Alive. I look forward to hearing more. Well done
I guess I'm kind of late on this one. About a month ago I read about Bat For Lashes [Natasha Khan] in the latest Fader magazine at my local Borders. Just yesterday did I actually listen to Two Suns all the way through after I purchased it. The only other album I've done that with this year [so far] is Animal Collective's MPP.
I can see why Natasha Khan is garnering so much attention from the music crowd. Her music is powerful but quiet. It captures this essence. It has soul. Her voice is haunting as it fills up the atmosphere.
In addition to Where The Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze has adapted another children's book to the big screen. This time it's Everyone Poops. Arcade Fire gladly accepted to do the soundtrack.
If you've ever seen the movie Friday Night Lights, you've heard Explosions In The Sky before. Well on July 4th it will be the 10 year anniversary of this band from Austin, TX. To celebrate this feet, the band has put together a little tour.
05/25/09::Gorge, WA @ Sasquatch Festival [with Animal Collective, Bon Iver, Girl Talk, lots of others...] 06/27/09::Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium 06/30/09::New York, NY @ Central Park Summer Stage 07/02/09::Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater 07/04/09::Austin, TX @ Stubb's [with The Octopus Project, The Wooden Birds] 09/09/09::Antwerp, BE @ Ampitheatre Riviernhof 09/11/09::Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival [with Fleet Foxes, Papercuts, Peter Broderick, lots more...]
Back in February, 4AD released a compilation featuring some of the most respectable and credible indie acts called Dark Was The Night. The compilation's profit went to The Red Hot Organization in order to help raise awareness for AIDS. Since then, 4AD and Red Hot have released videos of Yeasayer, The National and The Dirty Projectors performing their DWTN songs. Each video was shot by the ever-so-wonderful Vincent Moon of La Blogotheque.
Here's Yeasayer's video for Tight Rope. Easily one of my favorite tracks on DWTN:
Red Hot are also putting together a concert @ Radio City Music Hall featuring some of the contributors like Dirty Projectors, Feist, My Brightest Diamond, The National, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
I can't believe it's really been that long. I was only 9 years old at the time but Nirvana had already changed my life. I remember listening to Nevermind on my walkman earlier that day on my way home from school and I had just purchased Bleach with my saved up allowance [ah the good old days of doing easy chores for cash].
I was devastated. A band that I looked up to so much came to a sudden end.
I've always wondered what Nirvana would be like if Cobain were still here. RIP
Here are just a few of my fav Nirvana songs. What are yours?
Near the end of last year I posted about a documentary called In A Dream which told the story about the Philadelphia artist Isaiah Zagar [he's the guy who's responsible for that awesome sculpture garden made out of bottles and bike wheels and junk]. Well I signed up for the film's email newsletter thing so I could get more info about it as time pushed on. I received an email yesterday.
Here's a little of what it says:
"After seven years of production and a year on the festival circuit, In A Dream is finally coming to theaters this Friday, April 10th. It opens at the Cinema Village in New York and engagements in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Salt Lake City and numerous other cities will follow."
For more information on dates and times. click the READ MORE link beneath the video. Since it's so hard for indie films to make it anywhere, please do your best to make it out for this one.
Thanks to a DJ named Tom Ato, one of my favorite songs at the moment is now remixed.
Check out Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" remixed with a variety of Jay-Z rhymes, Tag Team's "whoomp there it is" and Lil John's "let's go." I don't think this is the first time we'll hear a Two Weeks remix...
About a month ago I posted a contest for a chance to WIN A 12" ViNYL COPY of Morrissey's latest album, Years Of Refusal. This was before I had much of a following. I'll be the first to admit, I'd like to see more traffic. Anyway, I only had a couple entries. Kind of a let down. So I'm going to try this again. Enter below for a chance to WIN A 12" ViNYL COPY of Morrissey's latest album, Years Of Refusal.
RULES: All you have to do to enter the contest is to make a comment (click on Holla At Ya Boy) to this post with your name and email. I'll pick, at random, a winner and in return the said winner will get the prize. Maybe I'll throw a little something extra in there as well.......hmmm.
Together In Digital Dreams [Digi Dreams] is a collection of thoughts on music, art and film brought to you by a small group of friends based in and around Philadelphia, PA
DISCLAIMER: All mp3's on this site are for promotional use only. If you are in a band/manage a band and you want the mp3's taken down, let us know. Please support your local record shop.